Foot rest panel device



July 1, 1958 s. DUKE 2,841,208

FOOT REST PANEL DEVICE- Filed Dec. 19, 1955 30 r @wofixe United Stat pThis invention relates generally to invalid wheel chairs and moreparticularly relates to a novelfoot rest panel construction for chairsof this type in which the foot rest panel automatically is moved to avertical folded position when the foot of the occupant is withdrawntherefrom.

Heretofore, foot rest panels supplied on wheel chairs have been providedwith means designed normally to frictionally retain the foot rest panelin a horizontal position between the side frames of the wheel chair orits normal position of use. In order for the occupant to leave thechair, it was necessary to move the panel against the friction to itsvertically folded position. considerable effort for an invalid, such asbending downward to reach the foot rest panel and then manually movingthe foot rest panel, or attempting to move the panel with ones foot.Where'themobility of the occupant was considerably impaired, even thissimple operation could be impossible for him and at other times,extremely difficult.

Where used with chairs intended to fold, the frictionally held foot restpanels must be raised manually to fold the chain and then lowered tounfold the chair. This of course is annoying and time consuming.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a footrest panel device for wheel chairs by means of which the disadvantageshereinabove enumerated substantially are eliminated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a foot restpanel device of the character described which includes helical tensionmeans installed to exert a continuous force normally urging the saidfoot rest panel to a vertically folded position, said foot rest panelbeing maintained in its horizontal position of use by the weight of the'occupants foot thereon and automatically assuming its vertical foldedposition when the occupants foot is withdrawn.

These and other advantages of the invention will be This required comeapparent as the description thereof evolves, in connection with which apreferred embodiment has been described in detail in the specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an invalid wheel chairhaving the foot rest'panel device embodying the invention installedthereon.

Fig. 2 is a front el-evational view of said device illustrating itsvertical folded position in solid outline and its horizontal position ofuse in broken lines.

Fig. 3 is a side elevati-onal view of said device on an enlarged scaleshowing same in horizontal position, with portions broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the said device in horizontalposition, taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1and in the direction indicated.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 2,841,208 late'n'ted July 1, 1958' ice 10 designates generally an invalid chairintended to be representative of the type to which the foot rest paneldevice 11 embodying the invention is capable of being assembled. Chair10 includes a pair of vertical side frames, a portion 12 of one sideframe being illustrated in Fig. 1. Each side frame includes a verticalfront support post 13 on which is mounted a drive wheel 14 at the frontend thereof, although in other model chairs, the drive wheel may bemounted at the rear of the chair. Rigidly or hingedly supported at thefront end of each side frame isa foot rest support post 15 whichprojects forwardly and downwardly of the seat of the chair. Post 15preferably is a hollow tubular metal member and the horizontal runner 16of a side frame may be permanently secured thereto or rest thereagainst.

Usually, a pair of foot rest panels is provided, one attached to thepost 15 of each side frame. The foot rest panels are capable of beingarranged horizontally substantially to span the distance between thesaid side frames for supporting the feet of an occupant. To permit theoccupant to leave the chair or for other purposes, such foot rest panelshave been movable to a vertically folded position withdrawn from betweenthe side frames. The foot rest panel device embodying the invention pro-.vides a construction which automatically moves said panel to saidvertical folded position merely upon lifting of the occupants foot fromthe panel, thus eliminating entirely any bending or other manualexertion by the occupant or by others, as required in folding the chairormoving it close to some object, for example.

The device 11 includes an elongate rigid tubular leg 17 thecross-sectional dimension of which permits said leg to be telescopicallyengaged within support post 15 through the open lower end 18 thereof andthereafter secured by means of suitable fasteners or friction means. Theleg 17 is sufiiciently long to provide a protruding portion 17 to whichthe pintle or shaft 19 is secured adjacent the free end thereof. Thepintle or shaft 19 extends forwardly of the front end of the chair,substantially normal to post 15. Rotatively mounted on pintle 19 is afiat foot rest panel member or plate 20 upon the upper surface of whichmay be provided ribs 21. The plate 20 is formed with an upstandingformation or knuckle 22 integral with one end 23 of said plate, theformation or knuckle 22 is hollow on its interior and provided with endbearings 24 journalling pintle 19 therein. A stop such as split ring 25is mounted on the pintle adjacent leg 18 to prevent lateral movement ofthe panel 20 along said pintle in the direction of said leg. The lengthof the knuckle 22 is substantially less than the length of pintle orshaft 19 so that there is a free end portion 26 of said pintle or shaftexposed. The relation of the diameter of journals 24 and pintle 19 issuch as to permit relatively free rotary movement of the panel 20 aboutsaid pintle.

The pintle or shaft 19 preferably is a hollow tubular metal providedwith an elongate slot 27 opening to the free end 28 of portion 26. Woundon the shaft or pintle is a helical spring 29, one end of which is bentto provide a finger 30 which is frictional engaged with the face of saidend 23 of the plate member. The opposite end 31 is frictionally engagedwithin the inner end of an axially extending slot 27 in said shaft 19.The helical spring member 29 is designed so that a torque is exertedconstantly to urge the plate 20 to a vertically folded position shown insolid outline in Fig. 2. When the occupant presses downwardly againstsaid plate 20 with a foot, the panel may be moved to a horizontalposition of use as shown in broken outline at 32, and maintained in thathorizontal position so long as the occupant keeps the weight of his footpressing downwardly on the said plate 20.

Should the voccupant desirefl to leave the chair, all -he need do islift his foot from the foot rest panel 20. Withdrawing of the weight ofthe foot enables spring 29 automatically to swing or rotate the plate 20about the imi e a al y elded pn n em ved mmthe tweenthe side frames ofthe chair. Thus, the occupant is relieved frorn any bending to'reaeh thefoot panel or from exerting any manual efio-rt;to move saidpanel.

Since the panel 20 is returned to itsvertically'fol ded, positionautomatically, a I resilient ring or bumper 35 may be secured over post15 in position to intercept the panel 20 upon its upward swingingmovement and absorb the shock occasioned by panelc20 coming to restagainst post 15.

It is contemplated that several modifications may be made in the mannerof attaching the spring29. Thus, the

There is shown in Fig. 1 rubber shoe 36 inserted over the free end 28 ofportion 26 which acts as a bumperlor cushion in a well known manner.However, shoe 36 may be of sufiicient length to engage against thespring 29 at its point of attachment with shaft 19 and thereby assist inmaintainingend 31 properly secured to said shaft. This is readilyapparent especially where the slot formation 27 is utilized. shaft19'inside the formation or kunckle 22 at the clearance space 37 between.said shaft and the formation 22.

It is believedthe invention has been described in sufficient detailtovenable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the same.preferredembodiment may be had without departing from thescopeandprinciples of the invention as set forth in the claimheretoappended.

I claim: Incombination with a wheel chairhaving a downwardly The spring29 also could be wound on the Minor variations from the disclosed.

' extending leg and having a forwardly extending shaft arranged normalto the longitudinal axis of said leg and rigidly secured atoneend'thereoffo the lowe'r po'rtionof the leg, a footrest panel haviiig ahollow knuckle adjacent one edge thereof rotatably receiving saidforwardly extending shaft for movement of said panel between a verticalfolded position against said leg and a horizontal position forsupporting a foot ofthechairs occupant, said leg being provided at thelower end thereof with stop means for engaging said, fqotrestpanel andfor preventing movement thereof beyond a horizontal position whendownward force is applied thereto, said shaft having a free end aa melen arwe dl e nd i uskle va I provided with a slot opening therein,bearing means'provided by said shaft between said knuckle and said legfor limiting rearward movement of said knuckle longitudinally along saidshaft, a helical spring under continuous tension being wound about thefree end portion of said shaft,

1 said spring havinglone end thereof disposed within said sl ot'opening,and havihg the opposite en d ther e of frictio nally engaging the edgeof said panel adjacent said knuckle,,and a resilient shoe mounted uponsaid free end.

portion ,and eXtending over 'said slot opening for maintaming the end ofsaid spring therein, whereby, said spring automatically rotates saidpanel member into vcrticalpositionagainst. said leg when an occupantsfoot is lifted fromthe panel, the continuous tension of saidspring beingoperative. to hold the panel firmly against said leg when th'e foo trestpanel is not in use, and said spring also being operative to urge saidrearwardly along said shaft andintocontinuous engagement with saidbearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,856,297 Marie et a1. May 3, 1932. 2 59 1 246 Everest Apr. 1, 1952.

FOREIGN PATENTS 109,675 Austria Aug. 10, 1925 '5 23 ,32 Germany May 5,1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE @ERTIFIQATE OF CORIEUHON Patent No,2,841,208 July I, 1958 Sam Duke It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as correctedsbelow.

In the grant, lines 1 to 3, for "Sam Duke, oi Chicago, Illinois," readSam Duke, of Chicago, Illinois, assignor to Institutional Industries,Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio, line 12, for "Sam Duke,his heirs" read Institutional Industries, Inc. its successors in theheading to the printed specification, line 3, for "Sam Duke, Chicago,Ill read Sam Duke, Chicago, Ill. assignor to Institutional Industries,Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corpora tion of Ohio Signed and sealed this 4thday of November 1958.

(SEAL) fittest:

KARL H, AXLINE I ROBERTRIJ, wATsor 'a is A. .hutfis ting; OfficerCommissioner of Patent

